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Overview

A Dog Called Perth: The True Story of a Beagle by Peter Martin

From the instant they spotted the forlorn puppy in the kennel, Cindy and Peter Martin knew she was the one for them. Refusing to remain a mere pet, Perth becomes an adored member of the household, and embodies the young couple's dreams. The Martins swear to always let Perth run free, and she becomes an indefatigable explorer with an infallible compass. From her adoption in upstate New York and her incredible survival in the wilderness of Vermont to her later adventures in the English countryside, Perth rewards the Martins with unshakable trust and unstinting love. This is an entertaining, beautifully written homage to a very special dog.

Author Biography: Peter Martin was born in Argentina and grew up in the United States. He has taught English literature at universities here and in England, and is the author of The Life of James Boswell, among other works. He now lives in the village of Bury, West Sussex, England.

Product Details

About the Author

Peter Martin was born in Argentina and educated in America. He has taught English literature at universities here and in England, and is the author of the recently acclaimed Life of James Boswell. He and his wife, Cindy, spend much of their time in Appletree Cottage in the village of Bury, England.

Editorial Reviews

It's possible that those who have never shared their days with a dog might find this deeply personal paean to a precocious beagle somewhat twee. Chances are, however, they'll find themselves caught up in the love story, converts to the world of dogs and the people whose hearts they capture. Martin, an English-literature scholar (A Life of James Boswell), pulls out all the stops in detailing the 21 years he and his family shared with Perth, a strong-willed pet who was, if the author is to be believed, a god among dogs always clean (with her own sweet "groggy-doggie" smell), fiercely loyal, impossibly intelligent (she learned 18 tricks in mere days) and totally trusting. Plucked as a pup from a kennel in upstate New York, the canine heroine of the story follows the Martins through teaching appointments in Ohio and Florida before accompanying them to a small village in Britain for the last half of her life. It's a charming memoir that gains almost adventure-story momentum when Martin describes his family's frantic search for Perth, who ran away from her Vermont caretakers during a summer the Martins spent abroad. The beagle survived months in the wilderness and found shelter at an isolated fishing camp before being reunited with her owners. Martin narrates this melodramatic chapter in the lives of a dog and her humans with a grace that could well bring tears to a soft-hearted reader's eyes. (Nov.) Forecast: There are nearly as many books about dogs as there are fleas looking for a place to feast, but this one, handsome enough to stand out as a point-of-purchase impulse buy, begs to be hand-sold by booksellers. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

“Perth is simple, funny, and touching .James Herriot’s early books come to mind.” New York Times Book Review

“Martin is more eloquent than most [dog] owners [and his] biting prose enlivens the bio of Perth the beagle.”USA Today

“An adventure story, a love story and a touching tribute to a dog that changed a family’s life forever sure to delight anyone who has ever loved a dog, beagle or otherwise.”St. Louis Post-Dispatch